


An Eager Want

by whenyoudesertme (phrenk)



Category: Arashi (Band), Japanese Actor RPF, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Genderswap, High School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-29
Updated: 2011-06-29
Packaged: 2017-10-20 20:17:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/216716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phrenk/pseuds/whenyoudesertme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nino needs to collect three friends and knows just the person to help out.  (More to the point, I wrote this off an old anon meme prompt asking for lesbian schoolgirls Ohmiya.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Eager Want

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted [here](http://whenyoudesertme.livejournal.com/20742.html). _All five members are girls and have always been girls._ Their comparative ages are also different, with Ohno and Aiba in their third year of high school, Nino and Sho in their second, and Jun in her first. The title's from _How to Win Friends and Influence People_. This fic wouldn't exist without elfiepike's constant encouragement, for which I am very grateful. ♥

Ohno had detention.

Normally this was something she enjoyed, given it meant she stared into space for half the time and doodled increasingly complex drawings in her notebook the other half, but this time there was a complication.

As usual, it was Nino's fault.

"And then Matsushima-sensei said that I didn't have enough friends, as if that's the kind of thing it's okay for a teacher to say, and told me I had to bring three friends to her by the end of the day tomorrow. And I would have ignored her because it's not like she can enforce this assignment in any way, but Nakajima-sensei was there and she looked at me with her blank expression and said, 'But Kazue couldn't do it even if she tried, right?' and now I have to do it, Oh-chan, so you have to help."

Ohno pondered. Nino was worked up in the way that led to too many words and too many wheedlings. Then again, it also usually led to fun.

"Okay," Ohno said.

Nino threw back her head in a laugh, her long hair flying over her shoulders. "So easy, Oh-chan! I was planning on bribing you with something good, too."

This caught Ohno's attention. She stared at Nino and waited for her to go on. Then she noticed movement under Nino's desk and saw Nino's fingers trailing up under her skirt, slowly pulling the material back to reveal the sweet curve of her inner thigh.

Ohno nodded fervently. "Three friends."

"She also said you don't count," Nino scowled. "Do you have any other friends, Oh-chan?" Her tone was pushy but there was a little bit of neediness in it, like Nino didn't want Ohno to have other friends.

Ohno smiled. "Aiba-chan's my friend," she said, chuckling when Nino's face fell. "She'll be your friend, too." With Aiba it was as simple as that, Ohno thought fondly.

"I can probably get that nerd Sakurai to come," Nino mused. "She's always shoving her notes on me when I skip class, it seems like she is invested in my scholastic achievement. I'll tell her I need tutoring and she'll probably soak her panties at the idea."

Ohno reached out to tug Nino's skirt up a few more inches. Nino swatted her and nodded toward the front of the room, saying, "Taka-san's watching, Oh-chan! I don't like the way he looks at you already."

"Ah, don't worry, Taka-san's taken. He has me pass notes to Nakai-sensei during class to make sure Nakai-sensei doesn't forget to think about him." Ohno smiled, thinking about how red Nakai-sensei's face got when he whined in outrage.

Nino looked fascinated at the idea of teachers having their own lives but quickly shrugged it off. "Focus, we need one more. I should get someone really impressive, like Kuroki-kun or Naka-kun, a popular boy who wouldn't be persuaded easily."

"They'll just think Kuroki-kun wants in your pants," Ohno said. "If you get three girls, they'll be more impressed, right?"

"You're a girl, you don't want in my pants?" Nino said, faking outrage.

"I don't like it when you wear pants," Ohno sighed. "You shouldn't cover up your pretty legs."

Nino coughed loudly but let the movement slide her skirt even farther up her thighs, coming dangerously close to her hips.

"Yeah," Ohno said reverently, not even pretending not to leer. Nino was only a tiny bit taller than Ohno but she had subtle curves where Ohno was stocky, and smooth skin where Ohno often forgot to shave.

"For the third person, let's get that girl with streaks in her hair who's always sneering at everyone, okay?"

"Jun-chan?" Ohno asked, surprised.

"You know her, too?" Nino grumbled.

"Our parents are friends but she hasn't talked to me much since she started high school."

"Fine, then you can ask her. I'll ask Sakurai-san. What about Aiba-san?"

"We could go to her family's restaurant after this, she said she'd be working," Ohno said thoughtfully, saying the words deliberately enough that Nino would know there was a catch. A plan was coalescing in her mind, slowly enough that she didn't poke at it to try and see what it was but with a hazy image of Nino in an apron pushing her to follow her instincts.

"Spit it out," Nino said, pulling her skirt down to cover her thighs again. Ohno tried not to pout.

"Mama said I have to make dinner tonight because she and Dad are taking my brother--I don't know, something to do with college," she finished, not all that interested in the particulars of her brother's potential college career.

"And?" Nino's hands were moving toward her bag in a way that Ohno recognized. Soon Nino's attention would be lost in favor of gaming under the desk where Taka-san couldn't see.

"I won't have time." Ohno waited for that to sink in, doodling streaks into the fur of the monkey she'd drawn in homeroom. She wondered if Jun still liked karaoke.

Nino's eyes rested on Ohno's hands. Finally she hissed, "Fine, I will help you make dinner, you leech. But only if Aiba-san says yes."

Ohno smiled to herself. If she knew anything about Aiba, getting her to say yes wouldn't be a problem.

*

"Oh-chan!"

Aiba's delighted voice carried easily over the bustle of the kitchen. Ohno grinned to see her friend weaving her way through scolding family members and apologizing all the way without actually pausing to listen.

Beside Ohno, Nino was tense and uncomfortable and masking it with a nonchalant, vaguely amused expression. Ohno wanted to kiss that look right off her face, which made her want to convince Aiba quickly and get to the next part of the plan.

"Oh-chan, honestly, we are in a family restaurant. Wipe that lewd look off your face." Nino's voice was startlingly close to Ohno's ear, and Ohno wasn't at all surprised to feel a hand slide down to squeeze her ass through her skirt. She just hummed, content, and focused on Aiba, who'd come up in front with them and was looking at them curiously.

"This is Nino, your Nino?" she asked, peeking at Nino through the wavy locks of hair gracing her forehead.

"Funny, I hadn't heard about you," Nino said, looking down and smoothing nonexistent creases out of her skirt. Then Aiba gave an overjoyed gasp, and Nino's head shot up, suspicious.

"You're that girl who takes the same train I do! And you're Oh-chan's Nino! This is fate, let's go sit down, let's ride the train together _every day_ and you can sit next to me and I'll try not to elbow you even though my little sister says my arms are as long and pointy as porcupine spines. Do you guys want some side-dishes, on the house?"

Nino stared at Aiba, mouth dropped open slightly. Ohno snickered to herself as quietly as she could.

"We don't have time," Nino said slowly. "I'll get to the point, even though I may regret it later." Ohno thought there was always time for free food but she didn't want to interrupt the budding of their friendship. (She made a note to herself to call it that later so that Nino's face would screw up in irritation. Nino was so cute.)

Nino swallowed, looking Aiba up and down. Aiba had a smudge of plum sauce on her nose, right above an overwhelming beam of a smile. She was taller than either Ohno or Nino and doe-eyed and willowy in a way that meant she was also more popular. She was not the kind of person Nino would ever seek out, Ohno thought, wondering why she hadn't thought to bring them together earlier.

"Aiba-san, don't get too excited, but please be my friend," Nino said at last.

Aiba drew in a great, shuddering breath, eyes wide on Nino.

*

"That idiot's voice is still ringing in my ears," Nino grumbled as Ohno led the way into her family's kitchen.

"But she said yes," Ohno said gently. "One friend achieved."

"Can you believe she made me pinky-swear to sit next to her on the train?" Nino's face was a scowling mess of conflicting feelings.

"Mmm," Ohno said, non-committal. "Kazu has such cute fingers."

Nino sighed, dropping her head to Ohno's shoulder. "What do we have to make tonight, Oh-chan?"

Ohno tried to keep her plan from vibrating out of her skin and into Nino's mind. "It could get messy," she said instead. "Here, put this on."

Nino tugged her way into the apron begrudgingly before looking over her shoulder and batting her eyes at Ohno. "Tie it for me?"

Ohno made a neat bow out of the cherry-red apron strings. Almost before she was finished Nino grabbed her hands and pulled Ohno's arms around her apron-clad waist.

"Ah, feels good. Let's just forget the food," Nino sighed, leaning heavily back onto Ohno. Food ranked high on Ohno's list of priorities but with Nino warm against her it was hard to argue.

Suddenly Nino switched their positions in a whirl of motion, and Ohno found herself with Nino's hands wrapped around hers on her stomach and a pointy little chin digging into her shoulder. This wouldn't do, Ohno thought, she couldn't see Nino at all. She turned abruptly and pushed Nino away a foot or two, ignoring the drawn out whine that resulted. Instead she stared at Nino, glazing over at the sight of the brightly-colored apron wrapped around Nino's slim form.

Nino cleared her throat, her cheeks rosy from Ohno's obvious fascination. "We should discuss the plan for tomorrow. I'm thinking Sakurai-san--"

"You make the rice," Ohno directed, deciding to stop that conversation before it started. She turned to the refrigerator to signal she really was going to move on without listening to Nino's splutters. After a second Nino gave up on the original conversation (only for now, Ohno was sure) and moved to complaining about her chore.

"Make the rice? You mean, measure the rice and water and--"

"No time to talk," Ohno snapped, turning to Nino with an exaggerated expression and laughing on the inside as Nino laughed out loud. It worked, though, and Nino opened up the rice cooker. Ohno opened the refrigerator door and started pulling out all of the food she'd made that morning, listening as Nino gave a little yelp at the already washed and soaking rice and another yelp that was probably at seeing all the prepared dishes Ohno was putting on the counter.

"Are you serious? You already had all the food made but you have me come over to push a button on your appliance, for which I need an _apron_?" Nino's whine was fully developed now as she glared at Ohno.

Ohno tilted her head to the side and considered Nino, angry little line between her eyebrows and all. "You're right," she said, faking thoughtfulness. "You are overdressed."

"That's right," Nino harrumphed, turning her back to Ohno again in a clear demand for the apron to come off. Ohno waited until Nino's finger hovered over the start button on the rice cooker before reaching out to unzip Nino's skirt.

Nino jumped and squawked, much to Ohno's delight, and failed to push the button. "You pervert!"

"You really only need the apron to make rice," Ohno murmured persuasively. Nino's back was still turned and her finger still hovered, as if she were considering how to handle the situation.

"Once I push the button I won't be making rice any longer," Nino said finally. Ohno had to whip a hand out to grasp Nino's wrist before the crucial button was pressed too soon. Then she snaked her other hand into Nino's apron and around to try to fumble the buttons of Nino's vest open one-handed.

Nino swayed back toward Ohno instinctively but grumbled, "An apron plot. Really, Oh-chan."

"Things could get messy." And the vest was open. Ohno started on Nino's shirt, determined.

"Oh-chan," Nino tried half-heartedly.

Ohno got the first button open and trailed a finger in to touch Nino's warm skin.

"Oh-chan," Nino said again, a little breathier but more decisive. "I'm not getting messy with you in your mama's kitchen."

The assault on clothing halted as Ohno considered this. Nino turned, flushed face coming into view, and wrapped her arms loosely around Ohno's neck.

"We can get messy upstairs," she coaxed, her bright eyes sharp on Ohno's mouth.

Ohno sighed regretfully, and a grin appeared on Nino's face. Still, Ohno thought...

"But keep the apron," she said firmly. Nino made a wry face but nodded as she turned and pushed the button at last. She pulled Ohno toward the stairs, stopping only to curse when her skirt slipped right off her hips.

*

In homeroom the next morning, Ohno snoozed contentedly, drifting in hazy half-dreams of flashy underwear, soft skin, and aprons that didn't leave much to the imagination.

Aiba's voice. Aiba would look good in an apron, too, but not as good as Nino. If Aiba was kneeling behind Nino, tying the strings...

"Oh-chan, seriously, they're calling you!"

Maybe pressing kisses to the small of Nino's back, but then it wasn't Aiba with her mouth on Nino's skin, it was Ohno, and it tasted--

"OI!" A ringing smack to Ohno's head and she was awake. She turned a mournful expression on Aiba, only then hearing the loudspeaker emit her name.

 _"Ohno Satori, please come to the nurse's office immediately. Bring all your belongings. Ohno Satori, to the nurse's office immediately."_

"You should probably wash your face first," Aiba said, leaning in close and giggling. "You fell asleep on your notebook again and I can see Doraemon on your face."

*

Poking her head into the nurse's office, Ohno saw only the nurse, who seemed disgruntled.

"Well, aren't you the cutest thing, now go wash your face," Shibata-sensei snapped, though afterward she laughed heartily at Ohno's expression. When Ohno's face was scrubbed and tingling, Shibata-sensei pointed to the resting room.

"She's in there, go on with you." Ohno's questioning head tilt got only a shooing motion in reply so she shuffled over to the door.

Inside was Nino, curled onto the padded bench and pounding away at her DS. She glanced up briefly and snorted before continuing whatever game she was playing.

"About time you got here," she said.

"What's going on?" Ohno asked, coming over to wedge herself between Nino and the wall. Nino saved her game and tucked it back into her bag before leaning back against Ohno's body.

"I told Shibata-sensei you had my medicine."

"What... I don't," Ohno mumbled, trying to think.

"Of course you do," Nino said sweetly, then lifted a finger to point at her lips. "Well? Hurry up, I am wasting away."

Ohno leaned in instinctively, still not really sure what was going on but more than willing to kiss Nino whenever she could. A breath, the stretch of her back as she bent down, then the warmth of Nino's mouth meeting hers, and Ohno pressed in closer despite the ache of the uncomfortable position.

Nino broke away, flushed, and muttered, "We should escape now before Shibata-sensei gets suspicious."

"Uh huh," Ohno said, reaching her hand around to pull Nino back in, fingers tangling in Nino's long curls and resting on her nape. Nino's mother had to plot constantly to keep Nino from chopping off her hair, a fact over which Ohno publicly commiserated with Nino and privately thanked Nino's mom. Ohno tugged on Nino's hair to make her moan and felt Nino's hands fly up to rest in Ohno's own hair, cropped close to her head and otherwise mostly neglected. Between the tingling caused by Nino's deft fingers on her scalp and the warmth and slickness of Nino's mouth, Ohno was quickly forgetting where they were.

A loud knock on the door had them scrambling apart, red-faced, and soon they were skipping down the hallway together, laughing at the faces Shibata-sensei had made at Nino's miraculous recovery and a little giddy from almost being caught.

Ohno was still snorting helplessly at Nino comparing the nurse to a drunken bull when Nino stopped, pulling at Ohno's arm to turn them around.

"This way, Oh-chan, I forgot. We're going to find Sakurai-san."

"Ahh," Ohno said, not paying all that much attention. She let herself be tugged along by Nino and slid back into her imagination for a while.

*

"There she is," Nino said, pointing into the classroom toward a girl with bushy hair, who managed to look distinguished and a little imposing despite her slightly prominent teeth. Ohno thought she looked smart. "Go get her."

"Huh?" Ohno asked, startled. Going to talk to a stranger had been in no part of Ohno's plans for the day.

"I can't go in, I'm supposed to be sick!" Nino whispered. She extricated her arm from Ohno's and gave her a merciless shove into the room.

Ohno righted herself a few steps in but it was too late: she'd been spotted. She froze.

"Ah, it's Ohno-senpai, right?" It was the one Nino had pointed out, looking much kinder up close. Ohno thanked her lucky stars that Sakurai had been the one to approach her.

"Um, yes," Ohno stuttered, then cleared her throat.

"What can we do for you, Ohno-senpai?" Sakurai was deferential, curious, and completely lacking suspicion.

Ohno decided to take advantage. Nino would be proud. "Sakurai-san, I'm here to discuss very important, um, upper grade business. With you. So if you could just come with me..."

Sakurai stared at her. "Of course, senpai, but--"

"Questions later!" Ohno barked, feeling bold. She turned around and marched out of the room, hoping Sakurai would follow.

Sakurai did, and as soon as she stepped foot outside the door, Nino grabbed her and began towing her down the hall.

"Success," Ohno said quietly, pleased with herself as she trailed along behind them.

She heard Sakurai squawk, "Ninomiya-san?" but it was too late, and within a few seconds they were all in the empty art classroom.

"All right, Shoko-chan, here's the deal," Nino started, but Ohno cut her off, frowning and slipping back into her austere, older student persona.

"Sakurai-san is your class leader, isn't she?"

Sakurai looked like she was feeling smug but trying to appear humble. "That's all right, senpai, you can call me Shoko--"

"See, it's fine, Oh-chan!" Nino said blithely. Sakurai looked very much like she hadn't been about to make the same offer to Nino but she kept her mouth shut in front of Ohno.

"Sho-chan," Ohno said kindly. Nino gave an evil chortle.

"Sho-chan," she echoed. Sakurai's face was frozen on her forced half-smile.

Nino launched into it again. "Sho-chan, here's the deal. I need you to tutor me after school today or I will fail and bring down the class average."

"What! Nino, how are you failing?" Sakurai yelped.

"See how quickly she drops the formality when I threaten the class average?" Nino stage-whispered to Ohno. Ohno kept her face serene, sensing that Sakurai needed to believe she had a potential ally in the room. It might be too late, though, Ohno thought, watching the scowl on Sakurai's face grow.

Still flushed with victory from her ruse in the classroom, she cut in. "Sho-chan--no, Sakurai-san," she started, then waited patiently for Sakurai to correct her again.

"Sho-chan is fine, senpai," Sakurai said begrudgingly.

"Actually, I'm here to-to _consult_ with you, Sho-chan. My friend Nino is a good kid--" Ohno heard Nino growl but ignored her, continuing, "But she could use some, um, guidance. And you are such an exemplary student, Sho-chan."

As Ohno watched, Sakurai's face smoothed out, though she watched Ohno with a little more suspicion than previously. Ohno thought that was probably a good instinct if Sakurai really became friends with Nino.

"It would be a great favor to me, Sho-chan," Ohno said, trying for a third-year's worldly dignity. "I can't think of anyone I could count on more than you."

Sakurai preened before tossing a glance Nino's way and grimacing. "I won't let you down," she said to Ohno, while glaring a bit threateningly at Nino.

"Wait a second," Nino said, but Ohno cut her off again.

"She just needs someone to--" Ohno considered, then thought of a phrase her mother often used about her. "Rearrange her priorities." She grinned at Nino. Nino gave her a look that promised retribution, but still went with the opening Ohno had provided her.

"I'll try to behave better, Sho-san, if you'll just come tutor me after school, all right? In the music room."

Ohno nodded at Sakurai, hiding her amusement at how the younger student's back had straightened as if to better bear her new responsibility.

*

As arranged, Ohno met Nino at the art room again after classes ended. Nino had wanted to go find Jun right away but Ohno was remembering some things about the younger girl, who was sweet but extremely stubborn. She thought it was best to give Jun as little time to think as possible.

"Oh-chan," Nino crooned right in Ohno's ear, eliciting the barest of twitches. "Are you ready to bag my third friend?"

Ohno swiveled around and stuck out her lower lip. "With you?"

"I think you can handle it. Just like you handled Sho-chan," Nino said, reaching one hand out to rest lightly on Ohno's chest, a few inches lower than was decent.

"But Nino--" Ohno started, pout deepening.

"I think I'll go study," Nino interrupted. "You know, rearrange my priorities."

Ohno felt rebellious. She leaned in to rub noses with Nino, lingering long enough to have Nino tilting her head for a kiss, then pulled away.

"When you're spiteful your kisses taste sour," Ohno said, sticking her jaw out obstinately.

Nino laughed loudly, but when Ohno turned to leave Nino grabbed her arm. Ohno backed up as Nino crowded her toward the open door, reaching out to close it before pushing Ohno against it. Ohno made a grumbling noise and turned her chin away, but Nino wasn't going for something so obvious.

Ohno felt warm breath on her neck before Nino began nibbling softly from her jawline toward her collarbone. She could feel Nino's hands moving between their bodies but couldn't quite focus enough to figure out what was happening there when her neck was receiving stinging nips between soothing swipes of Nino's tongue.

Suddenly Nino was a few feet away and Ohno was reeling. When she focused her eyes on Nino she saw that Nino's shirt and vest were open, and she...

"Kazu, have you not been wearing a bra _all day_?" Ohno breathed, taking in all of the exposed skin. When it came to Nino's subtle curves, her breasts were less subtle than _curves._ Nino resented it, irritated by people looking at her and the way her clothes fit. It didn't help that Ohno was small enough to be able to go without a bra most of the time, though Nino said that was just because Ohno's breasts were made for Nino's hands (and Nino's hands were quite small).

Nino shrugged, the movement causing her breasts to move in an extremely interesting way. Ohno was pretty sure they had been made for Ohno, too. She took a step closer.

"I don't know how I ended up apologizing here when you weaseled me into having Sakurai on my back all the freaking time, but here," Nino said, shoulders back resolutely despite her blush. Ohno just kept staring, not seeing why there would be a response expected of her when Nino was showing off parts of her body Ohno didn't get to see nearly enough. Nino waggled a hand in front of her own torso.

"My nipples," she said grandly. "I know you have a nipple thing, so let's just pretend my nipples are an apology. Oh-chan, do you accept my nipples?"

" _Yes,_ " Ohno said, reaching out helplessly.

"Okay then!" In what seemed like only a moment Nino had her shirt buttoned back up, dancing out of the way of Ohno's hands while she did it. Then she was steering a dazed Ohno out the door and pointing her toward a certain first-year dripping with attitude.

"You have five minutes," Nino said, then gave Ohno a push.

*

Ohno didn't quickly recover from her nipple-induced daze. She'd thought to make a vague semblance of a strategy before approaching Jun, but instead she stumbled her way through the small groups of kids cooler than she was toward the one face she recognized hanging out around this part of the school after the final bell.

Jun was standing alone, emitting vibes of 'don't talk to me or I will punch you' with her posture, her face, even her hair. As Ohno got closer Jun's eyes met hers and widened, and she stood up a little straighter where she leaned against the wall. Then her sneer fell over her strong features and she slumped back, eyes closing languidly.

Ohno came up close to her old family friend and plopped her head down on that black-clad shoulder. She felt Jun jerk under her forehead but didn't budge, only leaned more heavily even as Jun's hand came up and swatted her on the head. There was a long moment as Ohno waited to be swatted again, feeling Jun's arm still in the air and sure it was going to come back down on her head.

Finally Jun's arm came down, this time to rest around Ohno's shoulders.

"You could have just said hello," Jun said, frustrated.

"I missed you," Ohno said, realizing it only then. Jun's shoulders were bony and her perfume was a little intense to Ohno's nose but she had the same warm feeling as the girl who had sung Michael Jackson songs with Ohno and learned the choreography to show their parents.

Jun's hand squeezed tight on Ohno's shoulder for a second but then she whispered, "Oh-chan, everyone is looking, please--"

Even though Jun cut herself off, Ohno understood. "Don't worry, Jun-chan. I know a place we can go."

*

Ohno led Jun to the music room.

The only person inside so far was Aiba, who bounded up eagerly at the sight of Ohno and Jun.

"Oh-chan, hi! Is this person my friend, too?" Aiba looked about ready to leap on Jun so Ohno put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

Sho sidled into the room before Jun could respond, looking around for Nino before snorting as if an absent pupil was just what she expected.

Finally Nino trudged into the room. She brightened to see four other people and swooped out her arms.

"Friends, I have arrived!" Her shit-eating grin was doing her no favors with anyone, Ohno thought, and considered telling her to barricade the door so her new-found friends couldn't escape.

"Oh-chan, this isn't better," Jun hissed, full of anxious irritation.

"It is," Ohno said, slipping a hand into Jun's. Nino's eyes narrowed on them but Matsushima and Nakajima entered the room just then and saved the atmosphere from getting any worse.

"I can't believe it, Kazue has actually collected three friends," Nakajima-sensei said with a small smile.

"All right," Matsushima-sensei called, clapping her hands together twice. "I call the first meeting of the newly established newspaper club to order. Ninomiya-san, thank you for recruiting the troops. Ohno-san, don't even think about making a run for it. Everyone _sit down_." This last was prompted by a general movement toward the door, and was said so sternly that everyone obeyed.

As they shuffled to their chairs, Jun snatched her hand from Ohno's and gave her a baleful look. Ohno whined, "I didn't know either," and passed the baleful look on to Nino. Nino was too busy glaring at her teachers to notice, though, and Ohno glanced past her to Sho, who had her hand in the air as if she needed to be called on to speak. Aiba looked caught between excitement and confusion.

"Ninomiya-san is in grave danger of failing out of school," Matsushima said. "Which is impressive, considering the semester is only about a month underway, but facts are facts. In order to save her grades, she has gathered you all here for extra-curricular credit. In addition to the credit, which Ohno-san and, I believe, Matsumoto-san also need sorely, it means you can come here instead of physical education class." Sho's hand dropped slowly out of the air. "Everyone sign your names on this sheet immediately."

There was a wave of grumbling that stopped only when Matsushima-sensei banged her hands down on the table. Aiba was the first to sign, not even pretending reluctance, and Sho followed. Ohno reached over, suddenly not minding the idea as much at the idea of bringing this news home to her mom instead of poor grades like usual. Jun followed Ohno, her bad mood swirling around her head like a storm-cloud, and finally the paper rested in front of Nino.

"I refuse," Nino said stubbornly.

"That's Nino," Ohno whispered to Jun. "She's our friend."

"We should have our getting to know you meeting at my restaurant tonight," Aiba said, excited. "I'll make gyoza and we can come up with a team name."

"Newspaper clubs don't have team names," Sho laughed, then sobered. "Right, Matsushima-sensei?"

"A newspaper should have a name," Matushima said thoughtfully. "Maybe your editor has an idea." She nodded toward Nino, who grimaced.

"Fine," Nino said, scrawling her name on the paper. "But I don't want to be in charge."

Sho started to raise her hand again, probably to volunteer. Jun opened her mouth next to Ohno, already protesting, but Aiba beat her to it.

"Oh-chan's the oldest," Aiba said, twinkling at Ohno. "She should be Leader."

"Ah," Ohno said, thinking about that with misgivings. "That sounds risky." To her consternation, everyone else seemed to be nodding in agreement with Aiba.

"Ohno-san it is," Matsushima said cheerfully. "Ohno-san as Leader, Ninomiya-san as editor. Sakurai-san, would you like to cover current events?"

Sho's eyes got huge and she nodded vigorously.

"And Aiba-san, sports, yes? Matsumoto-san, entertainment, music and dramas and all that." Nakajima came up to the table and grabbed the sign-up sheet, removing any chance for escape.

Aiba didn't seem like she wanted to anyway, bouncing up and down at the idea of being in charge of sports. Ohno looked at Jun and found her mouth tightly shut, clearly not willing to voice any pleasure at her assignment.

"I can draw pictures," Ohno volunteered. "And Jun-chan can take them, she's a _photographer._ " She gave the word all the admiration she could put on it, and Jun's gloom dissipated considerably.

"We'll leave you to it," Matsushima said, backing toward Nakajima and the door. "Have a name by tomorrow, and don't forget to have fun."

When the door shut behind the teachers, Nino groaned. "This is worse than having friends," she complained, getting up and pacing over to stand behind Ohno.

The room's atmosphere soured slightly before Ohno made her first executive decision as Leader.

"Let's pretend we talked things over and go eat gyoza instead."

"As expected of Leader," Aiba said, smiling.

"Leader," Nino grumbled, sounding amused. She poked her nose into the soft fuzz on Ohno's nape.

"Gross," Jun muttered, though she sneaked her hand back into Ohno's under the table where Nino couldn't see.

"I have to be home by eight," Sho said loudly, making everyone jump. She flushed a bit, muttering, "I like gyoza, though, so as long as I'm home on time."

Ohno smiled at the room in general, feeling like things were falling into place, not least of which was the renewed prospect of free food. "Lead the way, Aiba-chan."

"Don't forget I get to sit next to Nino on the train," Aiba exclaimed.

"Fine, let's go eat some microwaved gyoza," Nino sighed.

Aiba immediately began to protest at this slur on her family's restaurant, distracting Ohno from the shivery feeling of Nino's breath on her skin. Nino, of course, had to snap back, and Ohno could hear Jun and Sho laughing.

Everything felt very cozy all of a sudden, with Nino's biting remarks and Aiba's over-excited rejoinders, Jun's toothy grin and Sho's crinkled, happy eyes. Ohno leaned into Nino and closed her eyes, smiling contentedly as Nino began to laugh.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Reaching](https://archiveofourown.org/works/821890) by [whenyoudesertme (phrenk)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phrenk/pseuds/whenyoudesertme)
  * [Restive](https://archiveofourown.org/works/836566) by [whenyoudesertme (phrenk)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phrenk/pseuds/whenyoudesertme)




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